Mobile stations are portable electronic devices useful for a variety of applications. Many mobile stations are cellular telephones, which are basically telephone handsets equipped with transmitter and receiver circuitry useful for communicating with one or more base stations that are, in turn, connected to a telecommunications network. Some such devices are also capable of performing auxiliary functions—some related to their functions as telephones and some not. For example, the mobile station may include a stored directory of telephone numbers and addresses that have been entered by the user. A mobile station may also have an appointment-calendar application, complete with alarms that sound when an appointment approaches. Mobile stations may also have games that the user may play simply to pass the time. Some mobile stations are even web-enabled, meaning that generally they may be used to find, access, and even interact with World Wide Web sites through a gateway between the telecommunications network and the Internet. Because of this widely-varying functionality, the term “cell phone” is less appropriate than the more general “mobile station”, which will therefore be used herein. Note that unless explicitly stated, the mobile station is not required to perform any one particular function or set of functions.
Traditional mobile-station design has centered on utility. Even when mobile stations were simply cell phones, they were often large and bulky. The internal components needed just to place and receive calls had not achieved anything near the level of miniaturization that they exhibit today. The same is true of the batteries on which the device is operated, which often had to be carried separately unless the phone was permanently installed in an automobile. Aesthetic considerations were given little emphasis, and in any event only a very small variety of designs existed because few consumers could afford to buy and operate the phone. With the advent of smaller and less expensive devices, and the parallel reduction in operating costs, however, mobile phones became more popular. Their increased popularity not only encouraged further advances in technology, but also created a great demand for instruments that were also more convenient to use and attractive in appearance. The presently enormous mobile-station market allows for a wide variety of designs, and consumers may choose the one most suitable for them.
FIG. 1 is an exterior isometric view of a typical mobile station, in this case a mobile phone 100, according to the prior art. Mobile phone 100 is a radio telecommunication device for use in a cellular communication network. It contains a radio transmitter and receiver (not shown) for sending transmissions to nearby base stations that are in turn connected with the main network. The network itself naturally provides for intra-network communication, and also includes gateways through which other networks, such as the public-switched telephone network (PSTN) and the Internet may be accessed. Mobile station 100 is most often used for real-time voice communication, but can be used for short-message-system (SMS) messaging, data transmission, Web surfing, and paging services as well.
The internal circuitry and components (not shown in FIG. 1) of mobile phone 100 are contained in a casing, or enclosure, that typically includes two or more sections, which will sometimes herein be referred to as covers. Referring to FIG. 1, mobile phone 100 has an enclosure 101 that includes front cover 120 and back cover 122, which are removably fastened together at joint 105 when the phone is assembled. Front cover 120 and back cover 122 are not ordinarily taken apart except for maintenance by a service technician. Front cover 120 and back cover 122 are normally made of a hard plastic material, such as polycarbonate/ABS (PC/ABS). This material is strong enough to protect the telephone internals from reasonable shock encountered in ordinary operation and to resist penetration by objects that it may encounter when placed in a user's pocket, purse, or briefcase. Unfortunately, more severe shocks may result in fracturing the cover, and some strain will be transferred to the phone's internal components if caused by a strong enough force, such as when the phone is dropped.
Several openings are formed in enclosure 101 of mobile phone 100, with most, though not necessarily all of them present in front cover 120. The keypad 110 on face 106 of front cover 120 is a user interface including a plurality of openings, through which protrude keys such as alphanumeric keys 112, call control keys 114, scroll key 115 and function keys 116. As their names imply, these keys perform various duties in the phone's operation, with the alphanumeric keys 112 having a standard telephone keypad role, and the function and scroll keys used in conjunction with display 134. That is, the function of the function and scroll keys are variable and determined by the application state that the mobile phone is in, which is translated into a word or icon displayed next to the respective key on display 134.
Display 134 is typically a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. The LCD itself is protected by a plastic window pane 132, which is mounted to cover the display and protrude into window 130, an opening formed in front cover 120. As illustrated in FIG. 1, display 134 presents to the user such information as current function-key functions, telephone numbers, signal strength, and other information useful to the operation being performed. The protective window pane 132 is typically a component separate from the LCD, its chassis, and other portions of the internal assembly. Window pane 132 is necessary because the components making up the LCD are fragile and subject to damage from even mild strikes.
Also formed in face 106 of front cover 120 is a small opening for power switch 118 and a plurality of small openings 142 that serve as a port for the speaker (not shown), which is mounted beneath them. At the opposite end of mobile station 100, microphone port 144 likewise permits entry of sound directed at the actual microphone (not shown) mounted inside. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, microphone port 144 is formed in the side of front cover 120, but could be formed anywhere proximate to the expected voice source, for example among alphanumeric keys 112 or on the bottom end 107 of front cover 120.
Located in the end 107 of front cover 120 are power port 146 for plugging in an external power adaptor and external-device port 148 for connecting an external headset and perhaps a microphone for hands-free operation. Power port 146 and external-device port 148 are receptacles for connecting (plugging in) an external appliance to the internal circuitry of mobile station 100. These receptacles are mounted within the mobile station's internal assembly (not shown) and are accessible from the outside through openings formed in end 107 of front cover 120. Note in this context that as used herein, the term “port” may refer to either a mere opening in the cover or an electrical connection mounted in an opening, with the distinction between these two types of port made only when necessary.
Back cover 122 frequently forms a recess (not shown) for receiving battery 124, to which it is removably attached during operation. In alternate versions, the battery may be received into an internal battery compartment and enclosed by the back cover or inserted into an opening in the back cover and protected or held in place by a separate battery cover. Also shown on back cover 122 is volume control 117, which, like the other keys, is accomplished by a key member protruding through an opening formed in the cover, in this case, back cover 122, that when manipulated by the user activates a switch located on the inner telephone assembly (not shown). Finally, radio transmission by the mobile station 100 shown in FIG. 1 is accomplished through use of antenna 126.
More recent designs permit some customization. As mentioned above, the popularity widespread use of mobile stations-especially as mobile phone has allowed vendors to offer a wide variety of designs from which consumers may choose. In addition, some vendors offer mobile stations that may be altered in appearance to permit the user not only to select the design most pleasing to them, but also to change the station's appearance from time to time to suit their mood or the occasion. One customization device is a case or clip that is used to carry and protect the instrument. Some cases are rather solid and bulky and do not permit operation of the station within them, while others form various windows, some of the windows being open and others being covered with a transparent material to permit the LCD to be viewed and the keys manipulated. Another customization device is what will herein be referred to as a “custom face cover”.
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a custom face cover 200 such as might be used with the mobile phone 100 of FIG. 1. Custom face cover 200 serves a basically aesthetic purpose, allowing the user to change the appearance of their mobile station by placing the cover 200 over the face 106 of mobile station 100. As can be seen in FIG. 2, a variety of openings are formed in the face 202 of cover 200 to a low for access to the features below. For example, a display opening 211 permits the display to be seen even with the cover 200 in place. Speaker opening 213 performs an analogous function with respect to the speaker of mobile station 100. Keypad openings, indicated generally at 215, allow user access to the keys.
Custom face cover 200 included side panels 204 and 206, and end panels 203 and 205. Side panel 204 forms a notch 221 for allowing sound to reach the microphone of mobile station 100, and end panel 203 forms notches 223 and 225 for access to power port 146 and external-device port 148. Together with face 202, the end panels and side panels form a recess into which the face 106 of mobile phone 100 may be received. Cover 200, after installation, is retained in place by its press-fit relationship to mobile phone 100, or by a series of structural extensions and corresponding grooves (not shown) that are engaged or disengaged as cover 200 flexes slightly during installation or removal, respectively.
While custom cover 200 certainly adds some protective quality, any improvement in this regard is small. In other words, its value is virtually limited to its aesthetic advantages. The mobile phone (shown in FIG. 1) is fully operable and adequately protected even without it. The custom cover is simply a customization accessory, and, of course, there is a basic limit to the extent of customization that may actually be performed in using it. Therefore, there remains a need for a mobile station that is easily customizable while providing adequate support and protection for internal components and, at the same time reducing the costs associated with manufacturing. The present invention provides just such a design.